What are some of the sports injuries that pre-teens are most susceptible to?
Most of the chronic injuries that we see in kids this age are overuse injuries. Kids are trying new sports out and they’re not prepared. They don’t have the coordination or balance, and yet they’re playing long and hard anyway, stressing their muscles and their joints. It’s important for teachers or parents to teach children to obey the rules of the game and to wear the proper equipment. Good equipment, and proper use of equipment, can dramatically reduce the likelihood of serious injury. We know that in football, for instance, proper helmets can prevent serious head injuries. Q: Swimming, or pool-related injuries, must be another source of concern for parents. By the time children are in their pre-teen years, are most of them fairly competent swimmers? There are a significant number of kids who don’t know how to swim. Kids in the Southwest United States are pretty competent swimmers, as they’ve grown up in a warm area and are fairly familiar with pools and swimming. But in the Northea
